WALTER SAMUEL NKANU ONNOGHEN, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This appeal is against the judgment of the Court of Appeal Holden at Port Harcourt in appeal no. CA/PH/EPT/10/2012 delivered on the 31st day of August, 2012 in which the court affirmed the decision of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Holden at Yenagoa in petition no. EPT/BYS/GOV/01/2012, delivered on the 11th July, 2012.
On the 1st day of March, 2012 the appellants presented a petition before the Governorship Election Tribunal, Holden at Yenagoa, against the respondents in which they claimed the following reliefs in paragraph 9 thereof.-
"(a) Your petitioners pray for a declaration of the Honourable Tribunal that the 1st respondent was not qualified to contest the election into the Office of Governor of Bayelsa State conducted by the 3rd respondent on the 11th February, 2012, and accordingly, the return of 1st respondent as the elected Governor of Bayelsa State at the said election is null a…